EDEXCEL A LEVEL HISTORY: Britain, 1625-1701: conflict, revolution and settlement.

What where the three main challenges facing the Stuart state?

1. The lack of a secure financial base for the government.

2. Religious division created by the Reformation.

3. The challenge of ruling three kingdoms together for the first time.

In peace time what were the three main sources of revenue the crown was meant to rely on?

- Rent from crown lands.

- Customs duties (taxes) on trade.

- Various medieval obligations that landowners where meant to pay.

What could the crown do in times of war if they needed money?

They could ask landowners for emergency funds, which had to be agreed by parliament. The most common was a subsidy (a one-off tax on wealth) which could raise substantial sums.

Why by the early seventeenth century was ordinary revenues not providing the crown with enough money?

- The system of tax collection was not efficient or dependable enough. Subsidies were collected by local landowners acting in the name of the crown and often undercharged their friends and neighbours.

-The collection of customs was sub-contracted out to middlemen who would pay a lump sum for the right to collect and keep customs over a set period.

-Price was rising (inflation) and the cost of warfare had increased.

Why was this lack of money a specific problem for Charles more than Elizabeth or James?

Elizabeth had lived frugally and avoided war with Spain for as long as possible. James had spent lavishly at court, but pursued a policy of peace with Spain and France. Charles on the other hand spent both lavishly on his court as well as advocating for a more aggressive policy abroad.

When Charles took the throne how did he try get finance before he called a parliament?

Charles moved to gain a loan of £60,000 from City of London merchants. But this was not enough.

What were the actions of parliament mainly focused on at the start of Charles reign?

They were mainly focused on:

-Recognising parliamentary function of taxation

-Defence of the common law

-To get rid of 'evil counsellors' through impeachment.

What excise tax did parliament refuse to give Charles for life? and why?

The Commons refused to grant Charles the right to collect Tonnage and Poundage for life. In response to the disastrous Mansfeld campaign.

What did the Commons suggest they do with Tonnage and Poundage?

Instead of giving it to Charles for life they suggested the grant should be made for a year so he would be forced to call a parliament regularly.

Who was Charles wife? and why was she so disliked?

Henrietta Maria was a French princess. She was so disliked because:

-She was a Catholic and close to the King.

-Her children would have Catholic influence.

-Established her own court of Catholic advisers,

-They were still going to war with France.

What is an Arminian?

Reject the Calvinist notion of predestination, believing that all Christians have free will and can influence whether they enter heaven or hell.

Arminianism in the 1620's and 1630's is associated with 'high church' practices (similar to those of the catholic church) such as the us of organs, hymns and bowing to the cross.

How had Charles shown his religious sympathies to Arminian people?

-By promoting Arminian clergy in the Church

-offering position at court to Arminian such as Richard Montagu.

What military failure took place in late 1625?

A naval expedition was sent to attack the port of Cadiz in Spain. The troops where poorly trained and equipped, and badly led by Buckingham's nominee, Viscount Wimbeldon, it failed completely.

Why did Charles hastily dissolve parliament?

When the Commons began discussing impeachment proceedings against Buckingham.

Charles called another Parliament in early 1626 why did this prove a problem?

When the parliament met the issue of a subsidy was set aside to launch an attack on Buckingham.

As Charles was forced was forced to dissolve parliament without a grant of taxation what did he do?

He demanded a forced loan from all taxpayers and any who refused to pay where imprisoned or conscripted into military service.

What was the 'Five Knights case'?

In 1627, a group of five knights who had refused to pay the loan and had been imprisoned sued for their release under habeas corpus. They were refused the opportunity to go to court, because the king claimed a right to an emergency power of arrest.

What was the result of the 'Five Knights case'?

Was a major confrontation in 1628, when Charles summoned a parliament to provide funds for national defence.

What other Catholic power did Charles find himself at war with and why?

France. Partly because of Buckingham's inept diplomacy but more with the failed attempt to support the French Huguenots at the protestant rebellion at La Rochelle.

Aware that attacks on Buckingham could lead to another dissolution what was parliaments new strategy?

They prepared five subsidies in taxation. At the same time as Petition of Right.

What was the Petition of Right?

It was a carefully worded document asking him to reverse the decision made in the Five Knights case. They also demanded in the future citizens would not be asked to pay forced loans, imprisoned without trial or subjected to martial law.

What was in Charles revised version of the Petition of Right?

Asserted his right to continue collecting Tonnage and Poundage without a parliamentary grant.

Who was killed in 1628?

Buckingham was assassinated by a disgruntled army officer named John Felton while reviewing the fleets at Portsmouth.

What was the reaction to Buckingham's death?

The public celebrated with bonfires and when parliament reassembled in January 1629, the news was celebrated by MPs.

Why did Charles choose to adjourn Parliament?

Parliament began looking into breaches of the Petition, and the treatment of merchants who had refused to pay Tonnage and Poundage.

What happened on the day of the adjournment?

A group of MP's lead by Denzil Holles and Sir John Eliot demanded the passing of three formal resolutions against the growth of Arminianism, the levying of Tonnage and Poundage, and the actions of those who paid it.

What happened when the speaker refused to delay the adjournment?

They held him to his chair until the resolution passed, amid shouting and confusion.

What happened to John Eliot?

Was imprisoned and died in the tower of London in 1632.

What justified personal rule to some extent?

The dissolution of parliament provoked very little reaction mainly due to the behaviour of the MP's who forced the three resolutions through the house.

why did the first few years of personal rule work?

Charles proved to be an effective ruler, devoting many hours to the daily business of government and meeting regularly with the privy council.

He had two efficient administrators William Laud the Archbishop of Canterbury and Sir Thomas Wentworth.

When did William Laud become Archbishop of Canterbury?

1633

What title did Thomas Wentworth gain? and what was his later positions?

He became Lord Strafford. He was President of the Council of the North from 1628 and was Lord Deputy of Ireland in 1632.

What was the name of the treaty Charles signed to end war with Spain?

Treaty of Madrid (1630)

What was Charles annual spending on wars in the years 1625-29? and what did he reduce it to?

Charles annual spending reduced from £500,000 in the years 1625-29 to less than £70,000 in the 1630's.

How did Charles improve crown finances in personal rule?

-reorganised the management of crown lands

-adding new impositions to the collection of Tonnage and Poundage

-Reviving a number of feudal payments

-sold monopoly licences

What where some of the feudal payments Charles reintroduced

-Fines for building on or encroaching on royal forests

-Ship money

Monopoly licenses gave one individual or company the right to dominate the production of a certain product. What product patent did Charles sell that proved controversial?

Charles issued a monopoly patent for the production of soap, claiming it would improve both the quality and supply. It generated considerable resentment and became the subject of debate in 1641, when opponents claimed that business had shut down and prices to public have increased to benefit the kings revenues.

How much was Ship money eventually worth to the Exchequer a year?

£200,000

What was different about ship money compared to other parliamentary tax?

It was a demand for payment of an amount set by the government and collected by the country sheriffs.

Why was Charles use of Ship money different from other Monarchs?

The levying of ship money for the upkeep of the navy was not new. With most Monarchs using it once or twice to counties along the coast. The difference was Charles introduced it as a annual tax and levied it across the entire country.

-In 1634 ship money was ...

-But, in 1635 it was ...

-By 1636, it had become ...

-Carried out in the traditional way, and provoked little comments.

-It was repeated and extended to the inland counties.

-An annual tax, with the capability of providing a regular income that was independent of any parliament.

What was the Distraint of Knighthood?

Anyone holding land with income of at least £40 a year who had not received a knighthood at Charles' coronation was fined.

How many individuals were charged by the Distraint of Knighthood? And where was the brief campaign against it?

9,000 individuals were charged and a brief campaign against the tax began in Yorkshire in 1634, but gained little support when the Exchequer judges supported Charles' right to collect the tax.

The same group who opposed Charles dealing with finance also had strong ...

Puritan connections and where disturbed by the ongoing reforms in the Church as well as state and society.

What is a Puritan?

A protestant who believed that the Reformation of the Church under Elizabeth 1 had not gone far enough, and sought to simplify worship and 'purify' it from the taint of Catholic ceremony and superstition.

In the Church of England how did promotion of Arminians like Laud bring a new instance of control over certain groups?

There was now control over the clergy by the bishops and of the laity by the clergy.

How was Laud and Charles religious policy differ from that of Puritan ideology?

Charles and Laud demanded strict adherence to the rules and the substitution of ritual and formality in place of the Puritan emphasis on individual prayer and preaching.

What happened to ministers who resisted against Charles and Lauds policy?

If a minister resisted they were brought before the Church courts or the prerogative Courts of High Commission and were deprived of their living.

What happened to the number of clergy as a result of Charles and Laud's new policy?

The number of clergy forced out did not rise greatly in the 1630's, but these numbers exclude the hundred or more clergy who chose to emigrate to the Puritan colonies of New England in America.

What two practices of the puritan gentry where banned?

1: Buying up the rights to appoint the local minister

2: The right to collect the tithe that formed his salary

What did the group know as Feoffeess do? and what happened to them?

They had organised the appointment of Puritan clergy. They were forced to disband.

What was the emphasis of what made Charles church policies?

Order, formality and hierarchy.

Catholic influences at court were perceived to have an impact on changes elsewhere such as the Church. Where can this be seen in the church?

Churches were decorated with statues and colour, organs were restored, and the alter was moved to the east end of the Church in order for traditional communion to take place.

Why did Charles make these changes to the Church?

He wanted a well-ordered regime with an emphasis on hierarchy and ceremony designed to install respect for the monarch and emphasise the religious roots of his power.

Who where Charles most loyal servants during personal rule?

Archbishop Laud and Thomas Wentworth.

Wentworth was mainly based in the north. where was he sent in 1632? and to be what?

Wentworth was sen to Ireland as Lord Deputy.

Why were people becoming fearful of Catholicism in personal rule?

-The Queens influence

-From 1635 Charles welcomed to court a ambassador from the pope. (whose interest in art led to a close relationship between the two men)

Why was the Queens influence so worrying in personal rule?

She maintained her own Catholic chapel and clergy and most importantly she actively encouraged others, including her children, to participate in catholic worship.

Who was the group responsible for the organised resistance against Charles?

A group of puritan gentry and nobility who had been active in parliament before 1629 had maintained contact through the Providence Island Company.

Who where the leaders of the Providence Island Company?

The leaders were John Pym, the Earl of Warwick, the Duck of Bedford and lord Saye and Sele.

Who were some of the Providence Island Company key contacts?

-A number of families in East Anglia

-Lawyer Oliver St. John

-Buckinghamshire gentleman names John Hampden

What did Hampden refuse to do in 1636?

He refused to pay his Ship Money and initiated a legal challenge.

What did Hampden's legal challenge lead to?

Charles decided to use it as a test case in 1637. Where St. John acted as Hampden's council. But, the judges in the Court of the King's Bench found in favour of the king in early 1638.

What was the margin of the decision in Hampden's court case?

7 to 5 in favour of the king.

In 1637 what was a key decision made by the Star Chamber that showed the power of the new Laudian reforms?

The Star Chamber sentenced three Puritan writers, who had published attacks on the government, to have their ears cut off, be branded on the cheeks and be imprisoned.

What where the names of the three writers?

Henry Burton, John Bastwick and William Prynne.

Why did the fact the sentence had been imposed by Laud so important?

It showed the influence of Laudian Bishops in the government of the the state as well as the church.

Where else was the presence of clergymen in government also evident?

The appointment of William Juxon, Bishop of London, to the post of Lord Treasurer in 1636.

What happened to ship money in 1639?

The yield fell to just 20% of expected money.

Why did the yield of Ship Money fall so much?

This was not so much because resistance was stronger or better organised, But because the Privy council and county sheriffs were increasingly burdened by the need to raise an army to fight Scotland.

Why was there already mistrust between Charles and Scotland?

-Charles had an inability in understanding the impacts of how decisions would be perceived by the Scottish people.

-Only visited Scotland to be crowned there in 1633 (8 years later than England as well as using an Anglican style ceremony that annoyed the Scottish).

-Nor did he trust the Scottish Privy Council preferring to take the advice of a few Scottish exiles who lived permanently in London.

What was the difference between the Church of England and the Scottish Kirk?

The Scottish Kirk had undergone a thoroughly Calvinist reformation led by John Knox in 1560, and emerged as a highly organised Presbyterian institution run by an assembly of ministers and lay Elders.

In 1636, Charles issued the Book of Canons to the Scottish clergy. What did this book instruct?

It listed instructions as to how they should lay out there churches and introduced a number of practices associated with the Church of England.

In 1637 what did Charles introduce to Sottish churches?

The English Prayer Book.

What happened when the English Prayer Book was first read? and where was it read?

First read in St. Giles Cathedral in Edinburgh and a riot broke out.

In 1638 the Scottish clergy and nobility drew up what? and what was its purpose?

They drew up the National Covenant to defend the Kirk and restore their religious rights.

Why did Charles lose the First Bishop War?

Both Charles and the Covenanters raised armies, but Charles lacking money had to rely on county militia from England.

Realising he could win what treaty did Charles sign to end the war?

Treaty of Berwick 1649

What did the gentry do in the years 1639-40 as they were unhappy funding a war with the Scots?

They went on a 'Taxpayers' strike

As Charles was lacking funds and unable to borrow money from London merchants what did Wentworth Suggest he do?

Call a parliament

What year did the short parliament meet?

1640

Why did the short parliament fail?

Charles did have the opportunity to fix the situation by making some concessions. Instead, after Charles demanded money of parliament, the commons entered into a series of debates, and he dissolved parliament after 3 weeks.

Why did Charles lose the Second Bishops War?

His army was disorganized and under-equipped. Most of his forces actually sympathised with the Scots, and occupied themselves burning altar rails and other symbols associated with Catholicism.

Where did Charles lose a battle against the Scots?

Battle of Newburn near Newcastle

What treaty did he have to sign for losing the Second Bishops War?

Treaty of Ripon in October 1640

What city did the Scots occupy and want did they want from the treaty?

The Scots occupied Newcastle and demanded that he pay £850 per day. He had to pay this as Newcastle was a vital port for getting coal from the North to London.

What was the name of the parliament Charles had to call at the end of personal rule?

Long Parliament

What was the name of the group that lead the opposition know as?

Pym's Junto

What did the long parliament do after being assembled?

-The arrest and impeachment of Laud and Strafford

-Steps to forbid the financial strategies used by Charles to raise money outside of parliament

-The passing of two acts to ensure the future of parliament

What happened to Wentworth (Earl of Strafford) and Laud?

Arrested in November 1640 and impeached. As they were blamed for the polices enacted during personal rule.

What did the 1641 Triennial Act do?

It laid down an obligation for Charles to call a parliament at least once every three years.

What was the Act of Attainder?

An act of parliament that effectively acts as a death warrant. The Act only requires a suspicion of guilt, and, as long as it was passed by both houses and signed by the monarch, no trail was required.

Why was the Act of Attainder passed?

Strafford was put on trial in April 1641, but to be found guilty of treason he would have to have been found guilty in the house of lords which would not have happened. So Pym passed the act.

What happened to Strafford in may?

He was beheaded.

What did Pym have to do to make pass the Act of Attainder?

Pym revealed a plot by Catholic army officers to release Strafford and dissolve parliament. This became know as the First Army Plot.

What happened after the act was passed?

A huge mob surrounded parliament and Charles who promised to protect Strafford was compelled to sign his death warrant.

Why did clear division become more clear in Parliament?

-Some Mp's thought that Pym had gone to far in pursuing Strafford.

-When a Bill was introduced to exclude Bishops from the lords

-To establish a new church along Presbyterian lines

In June 1641 what other constitutional changes did Pym want?

Abolition of the Prerogative Courts and the abolition of Ship Money.

What group did Pym further reforms bring about?

A 'middle group' of moderates emerged in the commons, led by Sir Edward Hyde. They favoured a settlement with both king and parliament, and would become known as Constitutional Royalists.

The opposition drew up what for the king to accept before he went to Scotland to make peace?

The Ten Propositions.